EVERETT – Bryan Bridges had a grin on his face as wide as the Trestle.
And why not? He’d just conquered his own personal house of horrors.
The Seattle Thunderbirds goaltender ended more than a year’s worth of frustration at the Everett Events Center with a stellar performance, defeating the Everett Silvertips 3-1 Wednesday night.
“I like it here now, definitely,” Bridges said.
“It’s a rush,” Bridges added about being in the zone. “You know it and you don’t want to be cocky about it. But you can feel it, and when you get that feeling you just run with it. The puck just somehow stays out.” Elizabeth Armstrong / The Herald
Bridges had a miserable time in Everett last season, losing all five of his starts, giving up 17 goals in the process and once getting hooked after just 12 minutes. Bridges’ only previous win at the EEC came on Jan. 28, 2004.
But Bridges was at his best Wednesday, denying the Tips time and again on quality scoring chances. He particularly had Ondrej Fiala’s number, twice denying the Everett forward on what appeared to be sure rebound goals. He finished with 29 saves.
“It’s not like he hasn’t (played well against Everett) before,” said Tips captain Torrie Wheat, who also was denied by Bridges on multiple occasions.
“He made some great saves and he’s a good goalie, everyone knows that. He’s proven himself time and time again in this league and he came out with another great performance tonight.”
Roman Tomanek, Aaron Gagnon and Bud Holloway scored goals for Seattle (22-20-1-3), which won its fourth straight. The T-birds also beat Everett for the second time in five nights.
Zach Dailey scored and Leland Irving made 19 stops for Everett (27-17-2-1), which finds itself in a bit of a slide. The Tips, who played Wednesday without key forwards Peter Mueller, Karel Hromas and Mark Kress because of injury, have lost three straight, all at home.
“It’s a concern,” Wheat said about the skid. “We’re pretty lackadaisical right now it seems at times. It seems with this team you can flick a switch and we can go from really tenacious to real lackadaisical. We have to turn the switch back to tenacious.”
The T-birds also won the battle of special teams. Everett came into the game ranked in the top five in the league on both the power play and penalty kill, while Seattle came in ranked in the bottom three in both categories. But Seattle was 1-for-3 on the power play with a second goal coming just as a power play expired, and the T-birds denied Everett on six power-play opportunities.
“The last two times we’ve played them they’ve dominated the special teams, so this isn’t the first time that’s happened,” Everett coach Kevin Constantine said. “I think goaltending is the No. 1 factor in special teams, so if one goalie is on fire and one isn’t, that’s probably going to be the difference. I think the last two times we’ve played against Seattle they’ve gotten better goaltending than us.”
Both teams appeared to come out a little sluggish and the only breakthrough in the first period came 4:14 in when, with Seattle on the power play, Tomanek found the top corner with a slap shot from the point to give Seattle a 1-0 lead.
Seattle doubled its lead 3:58 into the second period just as another power play expired, Gagnon poking in a rebound from a Thomas Hickey shot.
Everett got back into the game at 11:51 when Dailey tipped in Fiala’s shot on the rush. The Tips then started buzzing and should have tied it on the power play, but Fiala put a shot wide from point blank with the net gaping.
Then Seattle restored its two-goal lead at 17:39. Holloway outmuscled Everett defenseman Taylor Ellington for the puck along the boards, skated in free on goal, then saw his centering pass bank in off Everett defenseman Shaun Heshka’s skate.
Slap shots: Wheat, who was questionable for the game with a bruised foot, was able to play. … With so many forwards out injured, Everett defensemen Eric Doyle and Zach Sim were both pressed into duty at center. … Seattle played without center Chris Durand, who was held out for disciplinary reasons.
Thunderbirds 3, Silvertips 1
Seattle120-3
Everett010-1
First Period-1, Seattle, Tomanek 14 (Scurko), 4:14 (pp). Penalties-Fransoo, Everett (hooking), 3:00; Je. Schappert, Seattle (hooking), 5:57; Gagnon, Seattle (hooking), 18:39.
Second Period-2, Seattle, Gagnon 12 (Hickey, Pess), 3:58. 3, Everett, Dailey 5 (Fiala, Wheat), 11:51. 4, Seattle, Holloway 9 (Stamler, Barthel), 17:39. Penalties-Alic, Everett (tripping), 1:53; Stamler, Seattle (holding), 14:03; Barthel, Seattle (interference), 20:00.
Third Period-No goals. Penalties-Hickey, Seattle (high sticking), 3:18; Grossman, Seattle (kneeing), 7:18; Sim, Everett (cross-checking), 7:18; Dailey, Everett (goaltender interference), 11:42; Gibbons, Seattle (hold stick), 18:18.
Shots on goal-Seattle 6-12-5-23. Everett 6-13-11-30. Power-play opportunities-Seattle 1 of 3. Everett 0 of 6.
Goalies-Seattle, Bridges 14-6-1-2 (30 shots, 29 saves). Everett, Irving 24-15-1-1 (22 shots, 19 saves), Esposito (1 shot, 1 save).
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